Refrigerant Flow Divider Geometry for Uniform Two-Phase Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerant flow dividers experience nonuniform flow and increased pressure loss, leading to reduced evaporator performance and limited refrigerant flow rate control due to variations in branching pipe angles, refrigerant dryness, and temperature changes.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerant flow divider design with a specific ratio of main body length to inner diameter (2≦L/D2≦8) and flow rate to inner diameter (2≦D22/G≦13) is implemented to minimize flow rate discrepancies and pressure loss, ensuring optimal ascent velocity and uniform distribution of refrigerant across branching pipes, regardless of installation angles and dryness changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the main body of the flow divider is made long to improve flow distribution uniformity, then the flow distribution improves, but the pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the L/D2 ratio to a specific range (2≤L/D2≤8) and the D22/G ratio (2≤D22/G≤13). These parameter optimizations achieve uniform flow distribution while minimizing pressure loss, resolving the contradiction between flow uniformity and pressure loss without requiring extreme dimensional values.
2Ease of manufacture
If the branching pipes are installed at fixed angles to simplify installation, then manufacturing and installation are easier, but nonuniform flow occurs when installation angles vary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by setting specific ratio ranges (L/D2 and D22/G) that create a robust design insensitive to installation angle variations. This allows branching pipes to be installed at various angles while maintaining uniform flow distribution, resolving the contradiction between installation ease and flow uniformity.
3Productivity
If orifices or nozzles are added to increase refrigerant flow rate, then the flow rate increases, but the pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the inner diameter D2 and length L ratios rather than adding restrictive orifices or nozzles. This approach increases refrigerant flow rate through improved flow dynamics while avoiding the pressure loss penalty associated with constrictive elements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves a small variation in flow rate ratios and low pressure loss, preventing nonuniform flow and ensuring consistent refrigerant distribution across heat exchanger paths, thereby enhancing the performance of the refrigeration unit.
Implementation Method 1
an inlet pipe through which a refrigerant flows in, a main body of the flow divider of which the inside is a cavity, and a plurality of branching pipes through which the refrigerant flows out
Implementation Method 2
the pressure loss increases in the flow divider, reducing the range of control by the refrigerant flow rate control valve
Implementation Method 3
the liquid refrigerant flows while making contact with the inner wall surface of the main body of the flow divider, lowering the speed of the liquid refrigerant, and as a result, the refrigerant is subjected to the effects of gravity
Implementation Method 4
The refrigerant of gas-liquid two-phase flow discharged from the expansion valve 3 is equally divided into the respective heat transfer paths
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerant flow divider is made up of an inlet pipe 12 through which refrigerant Xin flows in, a main body 11 of which the inside is a cavity, and a plurality of branching pipes 13 through which refrigerant Xout flows out. When the length of the above described main body 11 of the flow divider is L mm and the inner diameter of the above described main body 11 of the flow divider is D2 mm, the relationship 2≦L/D2≦8 holds, and thus, a flow divider can be gained, where discrepancy (variation) in the flow rate ratio in the respective paths for the flow discharged from the outlet of the flow divider and entering the heat exchanger is small and pressure loss is small when there is a change of approximately ±10° in the installation angle, a change in the dryness of the refrigerant at the inlet (0.2 to 0.4) or a change in the flow rate of the refrigerant (50% to 100%).